income tax

Income tax

A state or federal government's levy on individuals as personal income tax and on the earnings of corporations as corporate income tax.

Income Tax

A tax on a person's individual income from wages and salary, gambling winnings, and some other sources. Importantly, capital gains are usually excluded from income taxes and are subject to their own system of taxation. An income tax may be a flat tax, which means that all citizens pay the same percentage of their incomes to the government. Most of the time, however, an income tax refers to a progressive income tax, in which citizens with higher incomes pay higher percentages.

For example, one who makes $100,000 per year pays a higher percentage, called a marginal tax rate, than one who makes $25,000. However, it is important to note that the marginal tax rate does not increase for one's entire income, merely each dollar over a certain threshold. Suppose one pays 10% of one's income up to $25,000, and 20% thereafter. The taxpayer making $25,001 does not suddenly have to pay 20% of his/her entire income merely on the one dollar over $25,000. That is, he/she owes 10% of $25,000 (or $2,500) and 20% of the $1 over that (or $0.20). All things being equal, this taxpayer owes $2,500.20 in taxes. See also: Adjusted gross income.

income tax

A tax levied on the annual earnings of an individual or a corporation. Income taxes are levied by the federal government and by a number of state and local governments. One set of rules applies to individual income and another to corporate income. The size and structure of an income tax greatly influence security prices and investor decisions.

income tax

a DIRECT TAX imposed by the government on the INCOME (wages, rent, dividends) received by persons. The government uses income tax in order to raise revenue (see BUDGET), as a means of redistributing income (see DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME) and as an instrument of FISCAL POLICY. Income tax is usually paid on a progressive scale so that the greater the individual's earnings, the greater the rate of tax which is levied, up to some predetermined upper limit (currently 40% in the UK); low levels of income are usually tax exempt (by granting individuals an INCOME TAX ALLOWANCE), while the remainder is taxed according to various bands of income at rising tax rates up to the upper limit. In the UK, for example, there are currently three taxable income bands with taxable income up to £2,090 being taxed at 10%; £2,091 to £32,400 being taxed at 22%; and above £32,401 being taxed at 40% (as at 2005/06).

In the UK, the INLAND REVENUE assesses and collects taxes on behalf of the government for a fiscal year from 6 April to 5 April the following year.

Ideally, a progressive income tax structure should promote social equity by redistributing income but also encourage enterprise and initiative by avoiding penal rates of taxation at the upper end of the scale and, together with the SOCIAL SECURITY provisions, provide suitable incentives to work at the lower end of the scale. See DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME.

income tax

a DIRECT TAX levied by the government on the INCOME (wages, rent, dividends) received by households in order to raise revenue and as an instrument of FISCAL POLICY. Income tax is usually paid on a progressive scale (see PROGRESSIVE TAX). In the UK, the INLAND REVENUE assesses and collects taxes on behalf of the government for a fiscal year starting 6 April to the following 5 April. Taxes such as CAPITAL GAINS TAX and WEALTH TAX also impinge upon individuals but are quite separate in their scope and calculation.

Changes in income tax rates can be used as part of fiscal policy to regulate the level of AGGREGATE DEMAND, increases in tax serving to reduce DISPOSABLE INCOME available for consumption spending, while decreases in tax increase disposable income. Income taxes can also be used to affect the distribution of incomes in society in line with the government's social policy In the UK, there are currently (2005/06) three taxable income bands (that is, income after deduction of tax allowances): taxable income up to £2,090 is taxed at 10%; £2,091 to £32,400 is taxed at 22%, and above £32,401 it is taxed at 40%. See TAXATION, PRINCIPLES OF TAXATION, INCOME TAX SCHEDULES.

income tax

A tax on income. A simple concept, but one that requires thousands of pages of IRS statutes, regulations, revenue rulings, and court interpretations to explain. See the IRS Web site at www.irs.gov.

47) The federal income tax is similarly--and necessarily--already interacting with state and local tax and borrowing decisions, and so the Code is in a position to nudge states and localities to more stable tax systems ex ante, obviating in part the need for federal interventions ex post.

HB 130, Laws 2005, provides that effective for tax periods beginning after 2004, unincorporated organizations that elect out of partnership treatment for Federal income tax purposes are considered to have elected out of partnership treatment for Louisiana corporation income tax purposes.

Helvering (35-1 USTC [paragraph] 9043), 293 US 465,469 (1935), argued the $129,000 of compensation John returned to JMA was excludible from gross income because the couple was entitled to structure their transactions to pay the least amount of federal income tax.

Caveat: Individuals who decide not to put any of the money back because they now need to live on it as a result of Hurricane Katrina, will pay Federal income tax and possibly a 10% penalty when they file their 2005 income tax returns.

On behalf of Tax Executive Institute, I am pleased to submit these comments on the Internal Revenue Service's proposed regulations on the application of the normalization requirements of sections 167(l) and 168(i)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code to utility companies that file consolidated federal income tax returns.

If taxpayers or their businesses received insurance proceeds to replace property destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, KETRA Section 405 gives them a longer time in which to invest them in replacement property before incurring Federal income tax liability on any gain; see also "Caveat" below.

The principal tax benefit associated with adopting a subsidiary structure is the ability of a company, on federal income tax returns, to offset profits in one part of the business with losses in another.

Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedule, neither Company nor the Subsidiaries is subject to any joint venture, partnership, or other arrangement or contract which is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.